Scarlet Memories
by fluffmania207
Summary: The memory of Lisbon's mother's death weighs heavily on an investigation, threatening the outcome. Can Jane save her from herself?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

It was a bright summer morning in Sacramento when FBI liaison Agent Frank Kingston arrived at the scene of a murder. A young girl, thought to be a prostitute, was found in an abandoned house. She had been strangled, and her half-dressed body lay sprawled on the living room floor. Agent Kingston knew that the CBI was already at the scene, and that their Serious Crimes Unit was investigating the murder.

Agent Kingston stepped through the door and walked over to where two men from the SCU were examining the body. The Asian man looked up at him. "Can I help you, sir?" he asked, completely deadpan.

"Yes," replied agent Kingston. "I'm looking for Senior Agent Lisbon. I understand his team is investigating this case."

The tall dark-haired man turned to a petite woman standing in the corner. "Boss," he called. "The FBI is here."

Agent Kingston's face was a picture of shock as the tiny brunette walked up to him. "Agent Teresa Lisbon." She gestured towards the two men beside her. "Agents Rigsby and Cho."

Just then, a blonde man in a three piece suit wandered through from the other room. He appeared totally at ease in the room, and sauntered over to where the small group of agents stood. "Ah," he said. "The FBI has arrived."

Agent Kingston turned to the blonde man. "Who are you?" he asked, almost rudely.

The man held out his hand. "Patrick Jane. I work for the CBI."

Lisbon cut in. "he's just a consultant. Now, what interest does the FBI have in the strangling of a prostitute? This looks like a domestic gone wrong."

Jane shook his head. "She was part of a drug ring. The FBI was using her as a contact to get information. The leaders obviously found out, and killed her."

Kingston frowned, puzzled. "How could you possibly know that information?"

Jane ignored the question and turned around to face the room. "This house is the perfect spot to deal drugs." He bent down and took a closer look at the body. "She was wearing a wire, but it was ripped off during the struggle."

Lisbon turned to Kingston. "We think she was killed upstairs and dumped here."

Kingston frowned in amazement. 'How does a woman become the leader of a crime unit?' he thought.

Jane tilted his head and turned to Kingston. "Agent Lisbon became the leader of this unit through hard work and dedication to her job. If you don't feel comfortable working under a woman, maybe the FBI should send out a replacement."

Kingston turned red with embarrassment as Rigsby and Cho turned to face him. "I-I never said anything like that," he spluttered, trying to salvage his pride.

A pretty red-haired agent appeared from outside. "Crime techs found a shoe print in the mud outside the window. We're hoping that we can use it to trace the killer."

Lisbon nodded. "Thank you, Van Pelt."

Jane wandered back through to the kitchen area and examined the cabinets closely. A white smudge on the counter top drew his attention, and he could see the faint outlines of beakers and test tubes imprinted into the surface. "Lisbon," he called. "I've found something."

Lisbon, with a silent Kingston in tow, strode through to where Jane was standing. "What is it, Jane?" she asked, her voice sounding uninterested.

Jane carefully traced the rings on the counter. "Meth lab." He said.

Kingston's interest piqued, he stepped closer to inspect the rings. "How did you see these, Mr Jane?" he asked with interest.

Jane shrugged. "They're obvious when you know what to look for."

Lisbon turned to Kingston. "We're about done here. Meet us back at the CBI building in about an hour, and we can continue to discuss this case."

Jane sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. Lisbon wasn't in the mood for being annoyed; Jane figured that, with the anniversary of her mother's death only days away, he would hold back for the time being. Lisbon sighed as she started the SUV and pulled out into the street. Jane opened one eye to examine Lisbon, noting her white knuckles as she gripped the steering-wheel. "Anything wrong?" he asked innocently.

"I can't believe that agent," grumbled Lisbon. "He has the nerve to show up at my crime scene, but refuses to work under me. Because I'm a woman."

Jane chuckled quietly. "He's just not used to the idea of working under women. He's 'old school', so to speak, and can't handle strong women."

Lisbon turned her head fractionally and glared at Jane. "And you got that in the two minutes you spent with him?"

Jane rolled his deep blue eyes. "You forget that I used to do that for a living. Being a fake psychic means that you need to read people in milliseconds, or they could call you out on your lies."

Lisbon nodded slowly, lost in thought. Jane observed her again. "If there's anything you want to talk about," he asked. "You know I'm willing to listen."

Lisbon shook her head. "I can handle it, Jane. You don't need to worry."

"You know I will anyway," he replied softly, closing his eyes and getting comfortable again.

Lisbon frowned, her green eyes narrowing as she struggled to focus on the road ahead. Her mind kept wandering; back to the night that her family received the news of her mother's death. She remembered the horror she felt, and how her youngest brother began to cry. She thought of the funeral, and how she knew that she, as the eldest, would have to step up and take charge. At the tender age of twelve, Teresa Lisbon assumed the role of mother and raised her three brothers. Her father, devastated at the loss of her mother, turned to alcohol for comfort. Teresa watched as her father spiralled out of control, until he committed suicide when she was seventeen.

A bump in the road jarred Lisbon from her thoughts, and she forced herself to focus on the road in front of her. Jane's eyes flew open. Something was seriously wrong, because Lisbon always drove carefully. It was very unlike her to hit bumps in the road, especially at speed. He worried that, even after twenty-seven years, Lisbon was still hurting at the loss of her mother. And he hated seeing his Lisbon in pain.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Lisbon sat in her office, blinds drawn. She had attempted to focus on her paperwork, but soon realised that nothing could be done in her current frame of mind. She found herself gazing at a photo balancing on the end of her desk. It was set in an ornate silver frame, and contained one of the last photos ever taken of her mother. She sighed, but a short knock on the door pulled her from her reverie.

"Come in," she said after a moment.

The door edged open and a mop of blonde curls peaked gingerly around the door. "Lisbon," said Jane quietly. "Are you okay? You've been holed up in here since that FBI agent left."

Lisbon closed her eyes and rubbed her temples as Jane entered and shut the door quietly behind him. He watched her as she frowned. "I'm okay, Jane." She muttered, not convinced. "I'm just, tired."

Jane shook his head. "You haven't even been out for coffee," he noted. "That's unlike you." He smiled slightly as Lisbon glanced up at him and glared. "Every one else has gone home. I just came to see if you were okay."

Lisbon sat back in her chair. Jane was worried, because his tough-as-nails boss (for all intents and purposes) should have thrown her stapler at him already, just because he had hinted that she might be weak. But Lisbon just sat there, her eyes already glazed over, as she stared off into space.

Jane spotted the photograph, and picked it up. A dark-haired woman bearing Lisbon's smile stared back at him. "How soon is the anniversary?" he asked quietly, understanding her pain.

Lisbon glanced up at him. "Two days," she answered numbly.

Jane turned to leave, knowing full well that she would want some time alone, but her voice stopped him. "Jane," she asked. "How did you stay sane, you know, after…"

Jane held up his hand. "I didn't," he replied simply. "I ended up in a mental asylum for eighteen months. Only sheer rage and revenge kept me from snapping completely, but the guilt threw me against a wall, more than once."

Lisbon nodded slowly. It was unusual for Jane to talk about his past, but there was the rare occasion where he would open up, even just a little. Jane could understand pain, loss. She knew that, unlike her, he felt responsible for the deaths of his wife and daughter at the hands of Red John. But Lisbon's pain was no less to live with. Twenty-seven years had dulled the pain, but it never went away completely. Jane watched her mull over his words, and walked silently around her desk. He rested his hand gently on her shoulder. "Lisbon," he murmured. "It's late. You should get going. Here," he offered her his hand, and she grasped it gently. He pulled her up and into a tight embrace. "Now, go home, and get some rest. You've got a long day tomorrow."

Lisbon just nodded, and wandered listlessly out through the door and towards the elevator. Jane stared after her, worry creasing his brow.

XxxxxxxX

Lisbon sat in her car. It was parked on the sidewalk next to her house. She rested her head on the steering wheel and contemplated Jane's words. She knew that he was right. He had not been trying to belittle the pain that she had been feeling, only showing her that he could identify with her loss. She sighed and opened the door to the car. A warm blanket of humid air struck her in the face, and she wondered if a thunderstorm was imminent.

She walked briskly up to her front door and hurried to unlock it. Once inside, Lisbon wandered aimlessly around her house, flipping on lights as she went. As she settled down on her sofa, the first rumble of thunder could be heard. She wondered idly what Jane was doing. She figured that he would be staying at the CBI building, not wanting to go home. The thunder was closer, and soon the rain was pelting against the window. The lightning flashed angrily across the window, and the power dipped before returning momentarily. A knocking on her door caught her attention as the power faltered and failed, leaving her in blackness. She started as the room was plunged into darkness.

The knocking persisted. Lisbon sighed and padded to the door. She pulled it open and was greeted by the sight of a bedraggled and soggy Jane. He shivered slightly as she looked him up and down. "Jane," she scolded. "What are you doing on my doorstep, soaking wet?"

Jane smiled gently. "I was worried, and I didn't want you to be alone. I drove over here, but my car flooded at the end of the block, so I had to walk the rest of the way."

Lisbon smiled a small smile and waved her dripping consultant into her house. "Wait here," she ordered, her tone more definite. "I'll go get you a towel and something to wear."

Jane grinned as he watched his boss disappear into another room. He peeled off his jacket and unbuttoned his vest. Lisbon reappeared holding several items of clothing and a pink fluffy towel. Jane grinned and removed his vest. "I'll find a hanger for those," said Lisbon, taking the jacket and vest from him. She vanished again, leaving Jane to unbutton his shirt. His freezing fingers fumbled with the buttons, struggling to undo them with any speed or accuracy. Lisbon reappeared just as he got the last button undone. He shrugged out of his shirt and dropped it onto the floor. He carefully dried himself and held up the replacement. "It was my brother's," explained Lisbon from the doorway.

The shirt in question was a dull grey in colour, and had a faded green emblem that Jane couldn't make out printed across the front. "As entertaining as this may be," noted Jane. "I would prefer to do the rest of my changing alone."

Lisbon blushed – the first colour Jane had seen in her face all day – and turned to go. "I'll be in the next room," she called over her shoulder. She left Jane to change into the jeans she had provided and set about making him a cup of tea.

Jane smiled as he changed, and then proceeded to follow Lisbon into the next room.

**A/N: so, this chapter really hasn't made any headway within the case itself. However, the case isn't actually the important part of the story. I apologise if this may seem OOC, I can't really help that too much. Reviews and criticism are much appreciated to help improve my writing and to get the characters to behave how they are supposed to. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Lisbon tried to shake the image of her half-dressed consultant from her mind as she turned on a gas cooker. She placed a kettle of water over the blue flame to boil. Jane appeared in the doorway, wearing the t-shirt and jeans she had provided. "Lisbon," he said softly. "Every year, when the anniversary of her passing approaches, you get quiet, moody. But I've never seen you like this."

Lisbon stopped pouring the milk. "Jane," she murmured. "I got a letter…"

Jane had experience with letters, and dreaded her next words. "Who from?" he asked quietly, not anticipating the answer.

Lisbon turned and strode past Jane, who was still in the doorway. He turned and watched her curiously as she sifted around in the papers that littered her tiny coffee table. She pulled out a sheet of paper and walked back to the kitchen. Jane wordlessly took the paper from her and skimmed through the writing by the light of a candle Lisbon had lit when she went to fetch his clothing.

"Dear Teresa, I know who took your mother from you. He has moved down here to Sacramento to start a new life. If you do what I say, you will have the opportunity for revenge. You can finally avenge the death of your mother, as well as the childhood you lost because of his actions. You can avenge the loss of your father. All you have to do is drop my case, and burn my case files. ALL of them. I want no evidence, no writing, and no saved files remaining. Then you will get the revenge you seek. You can finally put this behind you. RJ."

Jane's hands shook as he read the last line. "Red John," his voice was cold and emotionless. He glanced up at her. "How does he know what happened?"

Lisbon shrugged helplessly. "I don't know, Jane. All I know is that twenty-seven years couldn't prepare me for the shock of reading that. I don't think I could take meeting the man who took it all away from me, but now I know Red John knows my life story, and that scares me more than anything else."

Jane frowned and dropped the paper onto the counter. "He's just doing it to get me off the case." He mused. "We must be close if he's willing to hurt you like this. It's all part of his sick game."

Lisbon handed the teacup to Jane and lit another candle as she headed towards the sofa. She snuggled up against the arm as Jane joined her. He took a small sip from the cup, never taking his eyes off of the tiny woman next to him. He silently marvelled the way the candle light illuminated her features, shimmering dully off of her ebony hair. Her green eyes closed as she rested her head against the back of the sofa. "Lisbon," he said softly. "Red John will do anything to cause me pain, even if it hurts those closest to me. You can't take this pers-"

A sharp sound, like the cry of a wounded animal, from the back of her throat cut his sentence short. "Jane," she sighed, in obvious pain. "I can't do anything except take it personally. This is my mother he is talking about." She leant forwards and rested her head in her hands. "The single greatest tragedy in my life was the loss of my mother."

Lisbon's voice hitched and broke, and Jane reached over to stroke her back reassuringly. He knew what it took for Lisbon to admit weakness, preferring to keep it to herself and deal with it personally. She covered her face, embarrassed as tears began to trickle down her cheeks. "Lisbon," whispered Jane. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest. She began to sob, and he whispered reassuring nothings into her ear as she wept. She eventually stopped crying, and dropped off to sleep. Jane just sat on the sofa, holding her.

XxxxxxxxX

The following morning, Lisbon awoke with a start. She remembered the events of the previous nights, and blushed as she realised that she had spent the night in the arms of her not-unattractive consultant. She disentangled herself from his arms as he stirred. "Jane," she said, shaking his shoulder. "Wake up."

Jane sat up properly. "How are you this morning?" he asked her.

Lisbon stretched, working out the kinks in her back. "Better," she mumbled. "But no less, annoyed, at  
Red John."

Jane stood up next to her. "Don't worry." He said. "You don't have to act on anything he said."

Lisbon nodded. "I know. Doesn't make it hurt any less, though."

Jane wandered through to Lisbon's bedroom in search of his suit. He found it hanging on the back of her door, and smiled a little. He felt it. It was dry. While Lisbon got herself ready for work, Jane got dressed into his suit. He wandered slowly through Lisbon's living room, examining her framed photos and reading the titles of her books. "You done?' a voice behind him asked.

He smiled widely to himself as Lisbon breezed past him and opened her door. "I'll give you a lift to work. After all, your car did break down."

Once on the road, Jane shifted in his chair and shut his eyes. "You mumble," he muttered.

Lisbon frowned in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"In your sleep," clarified Jane. "You mumble and groan. I would be curious to know what I was doing to you in your sleep."

"What makes you think I was dreaming about you?" retorted Lisbon, her temper flaring rapidly.

Jane grinned his trademark grin. "You said my name more than once, and told me to stop doing something at least twice."

Lisbon scowled, her face red. She remembered the dream she had had, and tried not to blush furiously. After all, it was inappropriate for her to be having those sorts of dreams about her consultant. "You don't need to know what I dream about,"  
she snapped, pulling into the CBI parking lot.

"Really?" asked Jane, thoroughly amused. "So then why did you call me 'Patrick'?" Lisbon glared menacingly at him. "I'm just curious." He said innocently.

Lisbon slapped his arm, and opened her door. "Come," she commanded. "We have a case to solve."

Lisbon strode into the bullpen, a silent Jane in tow. "Rigsby, Van Pelt," she said. "Any new leads on our case."

Van Pelt handed her a folder. "Our dead prostitute is Sonja Williams, age twenty-three. She was an informant for the FBI. They were on the verge of busting the entire operation, until she turned up dead yesterday morning. Apparently, they caught on that she was leaking information and ended her life."

Cho entered from the other side and stopped in front of Lisbon. "Boss," he said. "The FBI is arranging a sting operation, set to happen later tonight. They are asking for our help. They need undercover agents. Agent Kingston is coming in about half an hour to fill us in on the operation."

"Thanks, Cho," she said, turning to head towards her office.

As Lisbon reached the door, she spotted a dark blue envelope taped to the outside of her door. Her blood ran cold as she saw her name scrawled across the paper in crimson letters.

**A/N: I know that this is a horrible place to stop, but who doesn't like a cliff hanger every once in a while…**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Lisbon sat at her desk, visibly shaken. The letter from the blue envelope sat open on the desk in front of her. Jane pushed the door to her office open and strolled through. "Lisbon," he began. He stopped speaking when he saw the lilac paper in front of her.

He marched to the desk and picked it up. It was hand written in crimson ink, and sent chills up Jane's spine as he read it.

"Teresa. I know you want revenge for your mother's death. Why put someone like Mr Jane ahead of your obvious love for your mother. You can end your agony. Burn the files, and walk away from my case. This isn't just about work, as you keep telling yourself. You have let Mr Jane fool you into putting the interests of his revenge ahead of your own. Think about this, Teresa. RJ."

"Jane," she murmured, her voice soft. "He's relentless." She sat up and stared at the paper. "I can't work efficiently if he keeps doing this."

"Lisbon," replied Jane. "You're letting his sick game get to you. He can't win. This is about me and my quest." Jane paused and contemplated those words. "His last method, leaving notes at a crime he committed for us to find, obviously wasn't giving him the desired effect. I had become immune to them. He is now trying a new tactic, and hitting me where he thinks it would hurt."

Lisbon sighed, not really listening to his words. "I did want vengeance, once. I wanted nothing more than to find the man who took her and kill him myself. But that wore off as I threw myself into life. Now," she clenched her fists. "Now, the pain is uncontrollable. I can't take what he's dredged up. Maybe I should just…"

"No." said Jane, a little too loud. "You cannot give up what you've worked so hard for. This wouldn't just be about giving up the Red John case, this would be about giving up on your work, your life."

Lisbon blinked, rapidly. "I see your point," she murmured. "I can't give up the Red John case. Not for anything."

Jane grinned. "That's my Lisbon. Now, the FBI agent, Kingston, is here to brief us about the sting operation."

Lisbon ignored the shiver when Jane called her 'his Lisbon'. She stood up and followed him to the conference room.

The rest of the team were already seated around the table when they arrived. Lisbon took a seat next to Van Pelt and turned to Agent Kingston. "Our informant, before she was killed, gave us important information. The drug dealers target young, rich couples. They hold upper-class parties and approach newcomers. We need two of your agents to attend the party tonight, get one of their dealers alone, and arrest him. Agent Lisbon," he turned to face her. "Which of your agents would you be willing to send undercover?"

Lisbon thought for a moment. "I would like to do it myself."

"Which of your men would be most convincing posing as your husband?" asked Agent Kingston.

Rigsby and Cho glanced at each other. "We would like to nominate Jane," said Cho. "He's the most convincing."

Lisbon frowned, and Jane grinned. "We'll do it," he said.

"Good," replied Agent Kingston. "You two will wear microphones and ear pieces so we can communicate with you."

Lisbon nodded. "We'll meet you in the parking lot for a final meeting."

The team stood up and followed their tiny leader out of the room.

XxxxxxxxX

Lisbon stared into her open closet, trying to find something to wear. She pulled out a silver cocktail dress, but hung it back up again. After a moment, she spotted a bottle green halter neck dress hanging near the back, and pulled it out. 'This could work,' she thought. She got herself ready and pulled on a pair of black heels. Smoky eye shadow and a pair of diamond earrings later, and she was ready.

Lisbon pulled into the parking lot of the CBI building and was greeted by her team. They were all waiting for her to arrive. She pulled herself from the driver's seat and tottered carefully over to them. "Wow," said Van Pelt. "Boss, you look amazing."

Lisbon blushed. "Where's Jane?" she asked.

Jane stepped out from behind the van. "Over here," he said.

He was wearing a black suit and tie. His hair was its usual disarray of curls, enhancing the effect of the suit. Lisbon's eyes widened as he walked up to her. "Wow, Lisbon," he said when he reached her. "You should dress like this more often."

Lisbon scowled and slapped his arm. "Can it, Jane. We're on a mission."

Jane grinned and turned to Agent Kingston. "We need those microphones and ear pieces."

Agent Kingston handed the devices to them, and Cho went through the regular tests to check that they were working. Once satisfied that they were all in working order, the team piled into the SUV and headed towards the party.

XxxxxxxxX

Jane wrapped his arm around Lisbon's waist as they walked up to the front door of the pulsing club. She stiffened under his touch, and Jane bent his head down to her ear. To the outside, he was nuzzling her ear; but he was whispering in her ear. "Lisbon, try to relax. We need this to look authentic."

Lisbon sighed and felt herself relax. Jane grinned and the two of them headed together through the door.

The first thing to hit them was the pulsating music. The pink and blue strobe lights flickered over them as they worked their way through the mass of people to the bar. Jane ordered for both of them, while Lisbon surveyed the scene. The two of them found a relatively secluded corner to stand and drink. Soon, a tall dark man wandered over to them. "Can I help you two?" he asked above the pulsing beat.

"Yes," replied Jane with a blinding grin. "Where can we find some, extra entertainment?"

**A/N: thanks to those who have been reading this story and reviewing. In terms of tiny inaccuracies within my information; I reserve poetic licence with the minor details. Please review. Thanks.**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The man beckoned for them to follow him, and he led them through the pulsing club to a narrow doorway in the back corner. Jane placed his hand protectively on the small of Lisbon's back as she negotiated the stairs up to the next level. He followed closely behind her, and they emerged in a small room above the club.

The music rumbled dully through the floor, but was muted by the floorboards. The walls were dark red, and the grey carpet had dark stains spattered across it. Lisbon mentally shuddered – she couldn't be visibly disgusted – at the thought of what those stains might be. Jane wrapped his arm reassuringly around her waist and pretended to lovingly kiss behind her ear. "Relax," he whispered softly.

Lisbon touched his cheek in response. "Hey," the dark man said, breaking the moment. "Lovebirds. You want extra entertainment or not?"

Jane looked up at him and nodded, grinning widely. "What have you got for us?"

The man looked Lisbon up and down and gave an oily smile. Lisbon ignored how his eyes travelled inappropriately and turned to Jane. "What should we get, honey?" she asked sweetly.

Jane looked down at her. "We'll just have to see what they have to offer us, sweetheart." He turned to the man. "What do you have on offer for us?"

The man grinned. "You two seem like the type of people looking for an easy ride. How about I give you a taste of the good stuff?"

Lisbon smiled and turned to Jane. "What do you think? Should we try it, honey?"

Jane smiled down at her. He turned back to the man. "Do you sell meth?" he asked.

The man frowned. "Our last lab had to be shut down two days ago, so we're a little low on stock. But I'm sure we can set you up with some."

Jane smiled down at Lisbon. "That's all we need." He said.

Just then, Rigsby and Cho appeared in the doorway. "You're under arrest for attempting to distribute a controlled substance to an officer of the law." Said Cho, completely deadpan.

The man's expression was one of horror and distaste as Cho cuffed him. "Which of you is it?" he spat. "Which one of you is a cop?"

Lisbon and Jane said nothing as Cho expressionlessly read the man his rights and dragged him down the stairs. "You were very convincing," said Jane to Lisbon. "I didn't realise you could act like that."

Lisbon blushed. "It's all part of the job. I needed to be convincing." She glanced at the floor, and shuddered. "I hate to think what those stains are."

Jane laughed. "Let's get out of here. We have a drug dealer to interrogate."

XxxxxxxxxX

Cho sat across from the man, now identified as Nicholas Gold, and opened his notepad. "Well, Nicholas," he said. "Who runs the drug ring?"

"Wow," replied Gold. "You don't beat about the bush, do you?"

"Answer the question, Mr Gold," said Cho.

Gold glanced at the one way window. "Is that hot babe who busted me watching this?" he asked, flashing the window a grin.

Behind the glass, Lisbon fumed. Jane clenched his jaw as Cho said again, "Answer my question, Mr Gold."

"I'll only answer that lady cop," replied Gold.

Cho glanced at the window. Lisbon sighed. She had changed back into her jeans and blazer, but the eye makeup had proved impossible to remove. She nodded to Jane, who followed her into the interrogation room. Cho joined Van Pelt behind the window as Lisbon and Jane entered the room. Gold looked her up and down. "Where's the dress?" he asked sourly.

Lisbon sat down in Cho's seat as Jane circled the table, observing the interrogation. "Mr Gold," said Lisbon. "Who runs the drug ring?"

Gold sat back in his chair. "I don't know," he replied.

"Liar," said Jane from behind him.

Gold turned in his chair to face Jane. "You calling me a liar?"

Jane walked round to stand by the door. "Yes," he replied. "You're protecting the leader, because you're terrified."

Gold scowled and turned to Lisbon. "Who is this clown, if you're not married to him?" he demanded.

"This is the consultant for the CBI," replied Lisbon. "He's here to assist in investigations."

Gold scowled. "I'm not a snitch. I won't tell you who's running the show, because then they will have my head on a plate."

Jane slapped his palms down on the table. Gold jumped at the sudden noise. "How about we cut you a deal," he said, bending over the table. "You tell us who the head of the ring is, and we will shorten your possession and distribution sentence."

Gold scowled. "And if the other prisoners find out I snitched, I'm a dead man."

Lisbon rested her hands on top of the table. "We can put you into a maximum security cell if that helps."

Gold considered the offer. "If you kick him," he jerked his thumb at Jane, "out of here, I'll be willing to talk."

"Why must I leave?" asked Jane innocently.

"Because you creep me out." Replied Gold uneasily. He shifted nervously in his chair as Jane flashed him a grin and left the room.

Lisbon turned back to Gold and waited for him to speak. Gold's first question surprised her. "What's his deal?" he asked resentfully.

Lisbon looked surprised. "Jane? He's passionate about his job. Always looks for answers."

Gold thought for a moment. "Jane?" he asked. "As in, Patrick Jane? The psychic? I heard that Red John did some bad things to his family."

Lisbon started. "How do you know that?" she asked in shock.

Before Gold could reply, the door flew open and a furious Jane marched in. His face was cold and bone white. He grabbed Gold by the front of his shirt and yanked him to his feet. "You leave my family and my past out of this," he growled menacingly.

Gold paled, and Lisbon jumped to her feet. She grabbed Jane's arm and pulled him away. "Get out of here, now." She said quietly.

Jane stormed from the room, and Lisbon sat back down. "Who lead's the drug ring?" she asked again.

"Cameron," he replied definitively. "Cameron Michaels."

**A/N: Thanks to all of you for following my story. Please excuse the OOC behaviour of Jane, but he needed a strong reaction within the scenario. Please review. Thanks.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Cameron Michaels," said Van Pelt. "Age forty-three. Has a few priors, mostly traffic violations and one possession charge."

"For what?" asked Lisbon, clutching a cup of coffee.

"Meth," replied Van Pelt, handing Lisbon a file.

Lisbon skimmed through the first page. "Current address is here in Sacramento," she noted. "Have you informed Agent Kingston?"

"On it, Boss," said Rigsby, picking up his phone.

Cho entered the bullpen. "We've located Michaels," he announced. "We need to go now."

The team grabbed their badges and weapons from their desks and headed for the elevator. Lisbon was the last one out of the bullpen, and took a large swig from her coffee as the doors closed.

Outside, they all piled into the SUV and headed towards the address Van Pelt had uncovered. Cho drove. Jane was with them, and watched curiously as Lisbon fidgeted nervously with her gun. She glanced around and spotted Jane's stare. She scowled as he flashed her a small smile. Rigsby glanced at Van Pelt. They hadn't missed the exchange, or Lisbon's nervousness, but they both chose not to call her out on it. They trusted their boss to make the right choices, no matter the circumstances. The SUV pulled up at the end of the end of the block, and Cho opened his door. Rigsby and Van Pelt followed him as he headed up towards the house. Lisbon stayed where she was.

"Lisbon," said Jane. "Your team have gone."

Lisbon sighed. "I can't focus. Not with Red John taunting me like this."

Jane reached over and cradled Lisbon's cheek in his hand. "Lisbon, Teresa," he whispered. "Red John has no power over us. We will catch him. Now," he straightened up. "Go catch us a drug lord."

Lisbon smiled and exited the vehicle. Jane grinned after her and sat back in his chair.

XxxxxxxxX

Lisbon and cho snuck up to the front door, while Rigsby and Van Pelt headed around to the back door. Lisbon nodded to Cho, who kicked the door in.

"CBI!" yelled Lisbon. "Hands where I can see them."

The five men in the room reached for their weapons, but several shots from Cho and Lisbon kept the rest from moving. "Clear, Boss," Van Pelt's voice came from the next room, followed by Rigsby's further away. Lisbon nodded Cho towards the obvious leader. Cho cuffed him and dragged him through the door. SacPD were waiting to cart the four remaining men off to the precinct to be processed.

Lisbon walked over to the SUV, which had miraculously materialised at the scene, and pulled open the driver's door. Jane sat behind the wheel. "You okay?" he asked gently.

Lisbon nodded. "Thanks to you," she said gently. "Now, let's go home."

The team followed her into the vehicle, and Jane relinquished the front seat to Cho.

XxxxxxxxX

Jane followed Lisbon up into the CBI building. Everyone else had gone home, but Lisbon had gone up to her office to finish off her paper work. Jane wandered into her office. "Lisbon," he said. "You're not going to listen to Red John, are you?" he sounded genuinely worried.

Lisbon smiled and shook her head. "Red John can take everything away from me, my life, my friends, but nothing will ever stop me from doing my job again." She glanced at the photo of her mother. "My mother wouldn't want me to avenge her; not while compromising my standards."

Jane circled the desk and wrapped his arms around her. He watched the clock on the edge of her desk tick over to midnight. "She would be so proud of you," he whispered in her ear.

Lisbon rested her head on Jane's chest. "We will find him," she mumbled, gripping him tighter.

"I know," he replied into her hair. "He won't hurt us any more."

Lisbon attempted to disentangle herself. Jane refused to let her go. "Jane," she said, struggling to get free. "Let me go."

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, stepping back. "You want to, uh, go?"

"Yeah, sure." She replied, grabbing her coat from the back of her chair.

Jane offered her his arm and, together, they left the building.

XxxxxxxxxX

Lisbon handed Jane a cup of tea as he settled on her sofa. She sat next to him and sipped her coffee. "Now what?" she asked.

"Well," he said. "We push what Red John told you aside, forget about it, and keep solving cases. It's what we do."  
Lisbon sighed and sat back against the back of the sofa. Jane stretched out his arm behind her and draped it over her shoulders. Lisbon leant her head back against his shoulder and took another sip of her coffee. Jane pressed his lips to her temple. She sighed. "Jane…"

"I know, I know," he said. "Regulations, rules, colleagues, blah, blah. Still," he shifted and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm proud of you and what you did."

Lisbon tilted her face up to his, and he smiled. He bent his head down and touched his lips to hers. She slid her hand up into his hair and pulled away. "Thank you," she whispered, before pulling his lips back down to hers.

The End

**A/N: We have reached the end of this story. I hope that you have enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it. Reviews are much appreciated. Until next time,**

**S**


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